Speakers

Dr Karen Skinner is Chief Operating Officer at LifeArc, a not‑for‑profit medical research organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by rare diseases and global health challenges such as drug-resistant infections. LifeArc achieves this by pioneering translational research and partnering across sectors to accelerate the development of new therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and digital health solutions. Karen is passionate about applying cutting‑edge biomedical science and technology to deliver innovations that make a meaningful difference for patients.

Karen brings more than 30 years of experience across the life sciences sector, spanning early exploratory research through to product launch in multiple therapeutic areas. She has held senior global leadership roles in big pharma, biotech and mission‑driven organisations, with expertise spanning pre‑clinical and clinical development, R&D operations, portfolio management, product development and alliance management. Before joining LifeArc, Karen served as VP Immuno‑Oncology at BTG, a high‑growth biotech, and began her R&D career at Merck, where she gained a strong grounding in drug discovery. She holds a DPhil in Pharmacology from the University of Oxford.